Co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/455,121, filed May 27, 2009, discloses a multi-function paper towel dispenser selectively operable to dispense paper toweling from a roll of paper toweling employing a plurality of alternative operational modes. The desired mode of operation can be selected utilizing mode control switches associated with sensor structure and electronic control circuitry of the dispenser. Two of the modes are a paper hidden mode and a paper exposed mode, each of which utilizes sensor structure in combination with electronic control circuitry to operate an electric motor driven rotatable toweling support roller to partially cut and dispense the paper toweling. The electric motor is also utilized to rotate the paper toweling support roller when not employing the sensor structure, the motor essentially operating in a hybrid mode wherein a pull force exerted on the toweling tail initiates rotation of the toweling support roller, the electric motor then being energized to reduce the pull force required by a user to effect final dispensing of a towel. Furthermore, a user can manually rotate the paper toweling support roller to effect dispensing of a towel in any of the modes.
The sensor structure of the multi-function or multi-mode paper towel dispenser is operatively associated with the electric motor to energize the electric motor and cause rotation of the toweling support roller to transport the paper toweling for dispensing from the dispenser in either a first mode of operation wherein the electric motor is energized responsive to the sensor structure sensing positioning of a user's hand at a predetermined location external of the housing or in a second mode of operation wherein the electric motor is energized responsive to the sensor structure sensing the removal of a toweling tail from a location external of the housing.
The dispenser disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/455,121 incorporates manually actuated slidable mode control switches employed to change between the modes of operation as well as mechanical control switching operatively associated with the toweling support roller and which is actuated during rotation of the toweling support roller to energize and de-energize the electric motor driving the toweling support roller as appropriate for a selected mode of operation.
More particularly, a mechanical electric switch is employed which includes a switch actuator element biased into contact with a cam-like interior surface of an end of the towel support roller.